Feeder for can-body-making machines



' (No Model.)

, 2 SheetsSheet 1. J. STEVENS.

FEEDER FOR CAN BODY MAKING MACHINES. N0. 380,774.

Patented Apr. 10, 1888.

I I x X y i ir z gzag a v. F v 8.8.8 8 8 {I L K A 2 t e e h S F t e e h S 2 8 N E E m S (No Model.)

FEEDER FOR CAN BODY MAKING MAOHINES."

Patented Apr m PETERS, Phcflolilhcgraphen Wznhinglun. n, c

UNITED STATES JOSEPH STEVENS, OF SAN PAT NT OFFICE.

FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FEEDER FOR CAN-BODY-.MAKING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,774, dated April 10, 18 88.

(No model.)

' bodies; and it consistsin a combination of devicesQwhichwill be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in

Figure l is a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the lifting device. Fig. 3 is aview ofthe clampnut on the ends of B. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation looking from the front. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken through X X, Fig. 4.

- Fig. 6 is a view showing a modification of the device for lifting the sheets of tin. Figs. 7 and 8 are details of one of the nuts B and its adjuncts.

It has been customary hitherto to feed the u sheets of tin by hand into the machine, by

which said sheets are formed into a cylindrical shape for can-bodies.

My invention is designed to provide an automatic feeder for this purpose. This feeder is intended to stand in front of the body-forming machine, which I have not here shown, and its mechanism is operatedv by cams or cranks upon the body-forming machine.

As the action of a cam, crank, or eccentric is well known, it will not be necessary to show them in this connection, but simply to show the parts which are operated and indicate the movements which are made.

A is the frame standing upon suitable legs or supports, and having a table, B, within it, upon which the sheets of tin are piled to any desired height or thickness. The side bars or uprights are slotted, as shown at D, and end bars or rods from the table B pass through these slots. Vertical rotating screws E pass through corresponding screw-threaded clamp nuts on the guides of the table 13, and by the rotation of the screws the table is raised or depressed at will, the jaws of the nuts B being opened by a cam, 5, or other equivalent device, to lower the table. Above the center of this table and the pile of tin sheets which lie upon it is a rubber or other elastic block, F, with a concave chamber beneath, and having a hole, G, made vertically through its center.

A valve, H, at the upper end controls the opening, and when the elastic block F is pressed down upon the top sheet of tin the air within it is forced out through the hole G, the valve H. lifting to allow it to escape. As soon as the block F is raised up the valve H closes immediately, and sufficient vacuum exists in the chamber I beneath the block F to'cause the sheet of tin to adhere and be lifted up from drop upon the carrying-arms J, which will immediately convey it toward the formingmachine. These arms J have upwardly-projecting lugs M at the end, and these lugs receive the sheet of tin, and as the arms J are drawn forward they draw the sheet upon the supporting -ledges N, leaving it at such a point that at the second reciprocation of the carriers the hinged dogs or catches 0 upon the bars J will catch the rear edge of the sheet and move it forward again within reach of the nippers of the forming-machine, which are not shown in the present drawings.

The reciprocation of the bars J is produced by a crank or eccentric, which may be attached -to the forming-machine, and simply causes the bars to reciprocate horizontally-a mechanical movement which is so simple that the operation is easily understood without illustrating the crank.

Upon the sides of the ledges N are hinged gravity-pawls P, beneath which the edges of the sheet of tin will slide when it is moved forward by the first movement of the bars J, and these pawls drop upon the edges and exert sufficient pressure to prevent the sheet be ing moved backward when the bars orcarriers J return. It is thus held until the dogs or catches 0 upon the bars J have passed beneath its rear edge, ready to move it forward at the second forward movement of the carrying-bars. The vacuum-forming block F has an upwardly-projecting yoke,by which it is attached to the cross bar or plate Q, extending across the machine above the top, and the ends of the bar Q are attached to the spring-actuated rods R, which extend downwardly outside of the vertical sides 0 and at the bottom connect with the transverse bar S, which extends across the machine and travels in vertical guiding-slots T.

U is a horizontal bar which extends transversely above the cross-bar S,and is caused to reciprocate horizontally by means of a crank d forward again the inclined portion V passes over bar S, thus allowing the side rods, R, the cross-bar Q, and vacuum device F to rise by the action of the springs on the rods R high enough to allow the carriers J to pass beneath the sheet, as before described. From the bottom of the incline V the bar U is made horizontal for a short distance, as shown at WV,and while this part is traversing the bar S the lifting-block F remains in position, the arms J meantime passing beneath the sheet of tin until the lugs or projections M are behind its rear edge. At this point the whole of the horizontal or parallel portion \V of the bar U will have passed beyond the bar S,and another offset,X, is reached, which allows the bar S to rise still further, and this raises the vacuum device F so high that the lever-arm K strikes the pin L, and thus opens the valve H, so as to allow the sheet of tin to drop upon the carryingarms. Upon the same bar, U, is another inclined or beveled portion, Y, which slides beneath the pin Z, projecting from the pawlcarrying arm a, as shown in Fig. 1. This pawl-carrying arm is fulcrumed upon the horizontal transverse shaft 12, upon the outer end of which shaft is fixed the beveled pinion c, and this pinion engages a corresponding pinion, d, upon the vertical screw-shaft E. The

' pawl e engages the ratchet-wheel f, which is secured to the shaft 1), and by the reciprocation of the bar U the pawl-carrying lever a is raised, so that its pawl, engaging the teeth of the ratchet-wheel f, moves it forward one tooth at a time and causes the shaft b to rotate, so that through the beveled pinions 0 and d the vertical screwshaft E will be turned and will raise the table B a distance equal to the thickness of a sheet of tin. This will always maintain the surface of the sheets at the same distance beneath the vacuum device F, and in the same relation with the car- .riersJ and the supporting-ledges N, so that the movement heretofore described will insure the lifting of one sheet of tin and placing it upon the carriers J at each reciprocation of the arm U, by which the mechanism is operated. When the bar U is drawn back, the pin Z rides down the incline, thus permitting the lever a to move downward a sufficient distance to cause its pawl e to advance the ratchet-wheel one toot-h. After the table B has reached the top, so that the last sheet has been discharged, (which is the position shown in Fig. 1,) it may be again depressed to receive another load of tin by raising the pawl and turning the crank 9, so as to reverse the screws and lower it, or by opening the nuts B.

In Fig. 6 Ihaveshown a modification of the mechanism by which the sheets of tin are lifted from the table and placed upon the carriers. In this construction the vacuum lifting device F issupported upon the end of a lever-arm, m. This arm has its opposite end secured to a shaft, n, which is caused to partially rotate by the crank-arm 0 and the rod 1), which connects it with the pawl-lever a,before described. As this lever is raised and depressed by the movements of the reciprocating bar U, the partial rotation of the shaft 12, caused by its connection therewith, will first press the vacuumcup F upon the top sheet of metal, and will thenliftit and carry it over with a semicircular movement until it occupies the position shown in thedotted lines, Fig. 6. The cup will then be beneath the sheet, the edges of the latter lying upon the ledges N, and the valve-lever K striking an arm or pin, L, the valve H will be opened so as to release the sheet at the instant when the carriers J are readyto remove it. After the sheet-has been carried away the vacuum-cup returns to its first position and lifts another sheet.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The horizontally-reciprocating carrierarms and thevertically-moving vacuum lifting device having a valve, by which device metal sheets are raised so as to allow the carrier to pass beneath the sheet, in combination with a mechanism for opening the valve, so as to destroy the vacuum and allow the sheet to fall upon the carrier-arms, substantially as herein described.

2. The horizontally-reciproeating carrierarms having the lugs or catches by which the sheets are advanced at the reciprocation of the arms, in combination with the supporting ledges N and the gravity pawls or catches P, by which the sheets are held after each advance while'the carrier returns, substantially as herein described.

3. The elastic block having the concave chamber in its lower face, an opening from said chamber for the escape of air when the chamber is reduced in size, and a valve con trolling said opening so as to maintain the vacuum after the same is formed, substantially as hereindescribed.

IIO

4. The movable vacuum lifting device consisting of an elastic block having a concave chamber in its lower face, an air-passage leading from said chamber and controlled by a valve, H, in combination with a lever by which said valve is operated, and a mechanism whereby the lever is moved to open the valve when it is desired to destroy vacuum, substantially as herein described.

5. The vertically-moving vacuum lifting device, the horizontal bar situated above the machine,to which said device is attached, the vertical spring-actuated side rods, R, and the transverse bar S, moving in guides T, in combination with the incline or cam V, by which the bar is depressed so as to draw the vacuumforrning cup downward, substantially as herein described.

6. The table B, by which the sheets of metal are supported, the vertically-moving vacuum lifting-cup F, and the horizontally-reciprocating carriers J, in combination with the screwrods E, beveled gears, shaft 11, and pawl-andratchet mechanism, by which the screws are turned so as to elevate the table the thickness of a sheet after each removal of one therefrom, substantially as herein described.

7. The table for supporting the blanks, vertical screw-rods by which the table is raised, the beveled gears, the horizontal shaft having the ratchet-wheel fixed upon it, and the pawlcarrying lever by which said ratchetis rotated, in combination with the horizontally-reciprocating bar U, having the incline Y, which engages a pin from the pawl-carrying lever, so as to actuate the same, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH STEVENS.

\Vitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, H. 0. LEE. 

